Centreville Woman Fights for Life
Family holding fundraiser for her on Friday.
By Bonnie Hobbs
Thursday, December 15, 2011
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=356732&paper=62&cat=104

The O’Sullivan children don’t know how much time they have left with their mother. But they’re hoping a fund-raiser planned for this Friday, Dec. 16, will yield enough money to pay for medical treatments to keep her alive as long as possible.

The event is from 6:30-10 p.m. at Centreville Presbyterian Church, 15450 Lee Highway in Centreville, and the family’s hoping for a huge turnout. (See below for details.)

A wife and mother of five children, Mandy O’Sullivan has devoted her life to taking care of them. Now, battling pancreatic cancer at age 51, she’s fighting for her own life, and they’re doing all they can to help her.

"This diagnosis was terrible because she was always healthy and physically fit," said daughter Katie, 24, a 2005 Westfield High graduate. "So it took us by surprise to have this happen to someone so young and healthy. Pancreatic cancer is usually a death sentence, but I’m hopeful for the future and very thankful for the time we’ve had together."

Married 24 years, Mandy and husband PJ O’Sullivan live in Centreville’s Pleasant View Estates community. PJ O’Sullivan works for a pharmaceutical company, was an All-American lacrosse player at West Point and helped coach lacrosse at Westfield. They’re longtime members of St. Timothy Catholic Church and, until she became too ill to continue, Mandy O’Sullivan was a maternity-ward nurse at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital.

All five of their children played lacrosse at Westfield; four already graduated from there, and the fifth, Molly, 15, is a sophomore. Katie’s also a JMU grad now living in Boston and working for a professional lacrosse organization. Sean, 22, attends Loyola University; Amanda, 20, is at Colgate University; and Ryan, 18, is at Bridgeton Academy.

Mandy O’Sullivan’s sister, Laura Christie, also lives in Centreville. "She and I have always been close," said Christie. "She’s my best friend and, always, my protector." Christie said Mandy O’Sullivan’s normally private, selfless and humble; so for her to agree to the fund-raiser in her honor is "a big thing. But it will also bring attention to pancreatic cancer."

She said Mandy O’Sullivan was a volunteer religion teacher at St. Timothy and worked with dogs up for adoption at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. She was also the team mom for many of her children’s lacrosse and football teams.

"She’s pretty quiet until you know her," said Christie. "But she’s funny, witty and strong. With everything she’s gone through, she’s never complained or griped."

In March 2010, Mandy O’Sullivan was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. It’s the fourth most-common cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and 95 percent of people diagnosed aren’t alive five years later. It’s often called the "silent killer" because of its lack of symptoms, and its causes are mostly unknown.

"She was shocked by it, but then she started fighting," said Christie. "She’s very positive, and her faith has been a huge help for her. Putting together this fund-raiser, I’ve learned their family’s touched so many people in Centreville and the Westfield community. Lots of people wanted to be involved, and that says so much about her."

Westfield High field hockey Coach Starr Karl also hopes the community will come out in droves for the event. Said Karl: "The O'Sullivans are a phenomenal family who have given back in many ways at Westfield, St Tim’s and on the lacrosse field."

After Mandy O’Sullivan’s diagnosis, doctors operated and removed the cancer from her pancreas, only to discover it had already spread to surrounding organs. She then underwent 11 months of chemotherapy, plus radiation.

"Though she’s tenaciously overcome a great deal of setback throughout her journey, the disease continues to spread," said Christie. "And traditional medicine — which breaks down the body’s cells, both good and bad — has not worked as efficiently as originally hoped."

So Mandy O’Sullivan has just begun treatment at Natural Horizons, an integrative medical and wellness center in Fairfax that takes a multi-pronged, holistic approach to cancer. Therapy at Natural Horizons seeks to help strengthen Mandy O’Sullivan’s immune system to help her body fight any new cancer cells.

But the facility is an out-of-network center not covered by the O’Sullivans’ insurance. So 90 percent of the proceeds from the fund-raiser will go toward Mandy O’Sullivan’s treatment there, as well as her previously accumulated medical bills. The other 10 percent will be contributed to pancreatic-cancer research toward a cure.

"I’m thankful for my mom being the fighter she is, and I hope for as much time as we can get with her," said Katie. Crying, she called her mother "absolutely the most influential woman in my life. She’s always been there for all us kids. She’s somebody to lean on, a shoulder to cry on and someone to walk you through the big decisions in your life."

Christie, Katie and her mom’s brother Russell came up with the fund-raiser idea, and the whole family will attend. "I think it’s amazing," said 2009 Westfield grad Amanda O’Sullivan. "I’m in awe of how eager people are to help with anything and everything they can. This whole process really opened my eyes to how openhearted people are, and it’s a beautiful thing to see."

Amanda said she’s trying to be strong for her mom. "She shaped who I am as a young woman," said Amanda. "She taught me how to be strong, and it’s definitely helping me now. She loves her children more than anything, so this fund-raiser is our way of showing her how much love we have for her in return."

She called her mom both the "rock" and the "glue" that’s held their family together. "And now, when she can’t carry the whole world on her shoulders, we want her to know we can handle the weight," said Amanda. "Her illness created a strong team among all of us. There’s no sense having negative thoughts when there’s still time to fight. We’ll deal with this card we were dealt and keep our heads up."

She said she doesn’t know how her mom managed "with five kids and all our activities, going to a million places at once." And, said Amanda, "I want to spend the rest of the time we have together happy and smiling."

Her brother Sean, a 2007 Westfield grad, also praised their mom. "She’s the epitome of a mother," he said. "She dedicated her life to raising us and we’re five good kids. We’re a close family with good morals and good academically and athletically."

When he was in sixth grade, he played on four sports teams in the spring. His dad was busy working, so his mom drove him and his siblings to their various practices. "She came to all our games — and from fifth to eighth grade, I had baseball doubleheaders every Sunday, all summer," said Sean. "But she was there, for four or five hours at a time."

Learning of her cancer, he "couldn’t believe it because she’s so active and seemed so healthy. That really crushed me. After that, how I was doing depended on how she was doing. It’s gotten worse recently, and everyone came home for Thanksgiving, and now we’re all home again for winter break. We all left school early to be here, and our extended family is here, too."

Hopefully, said Sean, the upcoming fund-raiser will help his mother’s spirit and morale. "I think it’s awesome, and everyone’s been so generous with donations," he said. "Two of my lacrosse coaches at Army and Loyola together gave me $2,000 worth of lacrosse clothing and equipment for the silent auction. And this event will be a chance for my mom to see everyone at once who cares about her and to know how many people support her."

The O'Sullivans during Christmas 2007. Standing, from left are Katie, Ryan, Amanda and Sean; seated, from left, are Molly, PJ, Mandy and her mother Anne.
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